


Heart Warming Moment, I Choose You!

by randomcannedcheese



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 12:16:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17100425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomcannedcheese/pseuds/randomcannedcheese
Summary: 2D tries to teach Noodle how to play Pokémon. What he doesn’t expect was for the rest of the band to join in.





	Heart Warming Moment, I Choose You!

**Author's Note:**

> Another gift fic, this time for my friend Em. Happy Birthday Em! 
> 
> Noodle uses the pronouns they/them in this fic.

“Ok, so first I’m going to teach you the basics. Or maybe I should just run through a play for you. What do you think Noodle?” Noodle looked up from where they were examining the cards, and shrugged, going back to trying to understand what all the little numbers meant. Both of them were sitting on the floor at a low table, pillows and blankets making the hard ground comfortable. The table was covered in Pokémon cards, colorful designs distracting Noodle from anything that 2D had said.

“I’ll just run though a game with you. That should give you an idea of how to play. So first you… Noodle, what are you doing?” The little kid was smiling down the cards, moving different starter and low-level Pokémon into a circle formation. They then slapped down a Gyarados and grinned up at 2D.

“I win.”

“Noodle, that’s not really how to play.”

“Dragon wins.”

“There are rules, Noodle.”

“But dragon is strong. Small and fuzzy are weak. Dragon wins.” 2D sighed, trying to come up with a good way to explain the rules to Noodle and get them to actually pay attention when a shadow suddenly formed over him. 2D looked up to see Murdoc glaring down at the table.

“What’s all this then?”

“Oh, I’m trying to teach Noodle how to play Pokémon!”

“Pokémon? Some kind of kids game isn’t it?” The frown on Murdoc’s face said angry but the fact that his eyes hadn’t stopped scanning the table said something else entirely.

“Well, yeah, but Noodle is a kid. Besides, it’s fun.” Murdoc hovered over them for a few more moments, looking conflicted before plopping down on the floor next to them.

“Well, let’s see how to play then. Don’t got all day to kick your butt at a card game.”

The next half hour was spent teaching Murdoc and Noodle about all the different cards, the general rules, how to use the chip counters, and how to win. 2D tried to teach them a few different strategies but neither one was willing to listen. He should have been more insistent though because only five minutes into the first game Murdoc found himself losing.

“What the hell was that! I had the stronger Pokémon! I should have won!”

“It was weak against water. I told you weaknesses add extra damage.”

“I would remember if you told me something like that.”

“Murdoc, you were too busy hiding all the good Pokémon up your sleeve to notice.”

“That’s ridiculous, I would never do that.” At that exact moment a single card fell out of Murdoc’s sleeve and onto the table. Murdoc tried to grab it but 2D was faster. He wasn’t at all surprised to find that it was a legendary. 2D glared at Murdoc, Murdoc looked away guiltily for a second before meeting 2D’s eyes.

“I wasn’t going to use it.” It was obvious that 2D didn’t believe him, but the blue haired man didn’t bother getting mad at Murdoc. He just tucked the card away and got the decks ready for another game. This time he and Noodle faced off and it took even less time for them to lose. They handled it just about as well as Murdoc and when Russel finally walked in with bags of Chinese food, he was greeted to a screaming match to end all screaming matches. Murdoc was holding a card in 2D’s face while 2D was trying to explain why Murdoc was wrong in every way. Noodle appeared to be only seconds away from launching themselves at both of the men.

“What are you guys doing?” Three heads turned to stare at Russel.

“We’re um… playing Pokémon?”

“Shouldn’t you guys be sitting at the table using the cards? Not a second away from a fist fight?”

“Well, we were but we had a disagreement.”

Russel just sighed and sat down at the table and started passing out the Chinese food. “Not gonna learn on empty stomachs. Now, Stu, how do we play?”

Explaining the game went better this time, with each band member distracted enough by the food to not interrupt 2D as he taught them. When the group finally started playing, Murdoc against Noodle and 2D against Russel, they were able to each play a solid game, with only a few mishaps along the way.

By the time they finished their first games, with Noodle and 2D being declared the winners, they had finished up most of their Chinese food and Russel started passing out the fortune cookies. He put 2D’s on the table, waiting for him to finish explaining why Murdoc lost.

Noodle didn’t bother to wait for the boys to eat before breaking into their cookie. They pulled the fortune out and read it while shoving the cookie into their mouth. They then handed the fortune to 2D for him to read. He was so distracted talking to Murdoc, however, that he didn’t notice that what Noodle was handing him was a small bit of paper and not a piece of cookie. Without thinking he popped into his mouth, chewed a few times, then froze.

“This isn’t food.”

“No it’s not, Stu. Why don’t you spit out Noodle’s fortune? I think they wanted you to read it, not eat it.” 2D did what Russel told him to do, then turned to face Noodle.

“I’m sorry Noodle. Didn’t mean to try and eat your fortune.”

“That’s ok, 2D-san.”

“Here, how about you take this? You can start making your own deck with this.”

2D handed Noodle a Porygon Z card, thinking it fit them rather well. Noodle took the card from 2D, holding it in their hands like it was something precious.

“Noodle? You ok?” Noodle didn’t look up from the card right away, but when they did 2D saw tears ready to fall from their eyes.

“Why are you crying? Noodle, what’s wrong?” 2D reached out to Noodle, trying to see if they were hurt, but they moved faster than 2D, wrapping him in a hug.

“I love it 2D-san. Love my card. Thank you.”

2D hugged them back, feeling tears prick his eyes too. Noodle meant so much to him and sharing something with them, even something as simple as a card game, made 2D feel like he was doing the right thing, taking care of them in some way.

Another pair of arms wrapped around him and Noodle. Russel was kneeling bedside them, grinning wide. A hand patted 2D on the shoulder. Murdoc didn’t meet his face as he did this.

“Thanks for the game, 2D. It was fun.” Deciding he was done with the emotional group for the day, Murdoc left the room. The rest stuck around longer, 2D and Noodle working on their first deck while Russel napped on the couch. Years later 2D and Noodle would have hours long battles, trading cards and bickering over different plays, but he would always look back at this moment, when Noodle didn’t know how to play, when the others would join in and learn with them. It was these moments above all others that reminded 2D that they were a family. No matter what happened, no matter what the world threw at them, they were there for each other.


End file.
